Laurel Park picks and ponderings November 10, 2019

Anna’s Bandit. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $525; Super High 5 — $4,081; Late Pick 5 — None

Notable: Kentucky Juvenile Stakes winner Rookie Salsa returns to action the sixth race.

RACE 1

4-5-10-6
The Dale Capuano-trained #4 Stucco (4-1) ran relatively evenly on debut on the turf, and that was a bit of a tough ask — to go two turns in his first race. The Bodemeister gelding cuts back to a one-turn mile here and switches to the dirt, both of which should suit him just fine; he can surely improve here, and if he does, he wins; Capuano and rider Whisman have a 26% strike rate… #5 Marden (8-1) took a bit step forward last time out in his first start in nearly a year while on the turf, but his breeding says the switch back to the main track should be fine, too…

RACE 2

6-2-3-8
#6 Two for Ten (8-1) won at first asking for trainer Pecoraro and today makes second start with Lasix (trainer is 23-for-66, 35%, with a positive ROI second time with Lasix); will need to move forward today; trainer-jock a 30% combo… #3 Always Talking (2-1) will be a forward factor early and will have a chance to stay on on the drop-down but has had trouble getting any distance at all and broke her maiden going a half-mile at Timonium; verdict: keep on the ticket but try to beat at expected short odds… #8 Steady Love (6-1) should appreciate class relieft after back-to-back stakes tries…

RACE 3

2-5-4-8
#2 Swirrlie Shirlie (7-2) ran away and hid from ’em last time out going seven furlongs and may be winging it in front again under Ruiz; five-time winner loves this trip… Favored #5 Fanniebellefleming (2-1) ran pretty well last out when setting a decent pace and staying on until late but may not have the wheels to go with top choice…

ANALYSIS

RACE 4

1-10-5-3
First off the claim for the Jerry Robb-trained #1 Lady Kim (9-2), who won at this level two back, doubled up last out, and loves this six-furlong trip… Bit of a tough outing last time for #10 Call Me Jelly Roll (4-1) when a bit slow to leave against better, but she’s won at this level before and can contend if she gets out of the gate… Let’s give a puncher’s chance to #3 Flirtation Walk (15-1) who’s been on the improve on the green stuff and is just a better horse now than when last on dirt…

RACE 5

4-10-2-8
It’s been a while since #4 Twirling Liz (4-1) saw live racing action; she hasn’t run since April, when finishing up the track in a turf allowance locally, but her maiden score, on the dirt at the Fair Grounds, was a solid effort in a race that produced three next-out graduates, and trainer Gaudet has a positive ROI with runners coming off similar breaks… Not too upset with the last effort of #10 Little Song (8-1) when third behind the formful Artful Splatter, who came right back to win easily, and Ortinola, who won on Friday; this miss still has some upsdie at an attractive price…

RACE 6

3-6-2-7
Where’s the speed going to come from in this two-year-old allowance sprint? Looks like it should come from #3 Perfect Score (6-1), who won in gate-to-wire fashion at first asking at Thistledown and then gave a decent account of himself last time out in a local turf allowance… #6 Stone Courageous (8-5) and #2 Tommy Shelby (2-1) both exit the Maryland Million Nursery, where they were second and fourth, respectively; both figure to be running from mid-pack… It’s kinda gone sideways a little bit for #7 Rookie Salsa (5-1) who won at first asking and then doubled up with a score in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at Churchill Downs but who’s dropped three straight since; he’ll need a bounceback effort today, and trainer O’Dwyer pulls out all the stops: blinkers go on, Lasix goes on, and go-to pilot Russell gets on for the first time…

ANALYSIS

RACE 7

2-8-3-5
Not a great group cued up in this allowance contest, but we’ll take #2 Two Hot Betty (9-2), who makes her third start off a three-month break and didn’t run badly last time out versus similar (albeit as the favorite)… #8 Snippety (5-1) makes her first start off a five-month break after winning a race that produced a pair of next-out winners… #3 My Star Potential (6-1) came closest to achieving same when winning last year’s Md. Million Lassie but has only made one poor start since; needs a bounce-back try here..

RACE 8

1-10-7-4
Second start off the Farrior claim for #1 Sassy King (7-2) who was overmatched last time at the $25,000 level but fits much more snugly in for a nickel; he and rider Cintron are 3-for-7 together… #10 Pep Talking (9-2) has every right to run a good one here on the cutback to a one-turn distance at which he’s won; he ran pretty well last time out when stalking a pretty good early pace that had the closers running on late, and he was steadied late while tiring… That pretty good early pace was largely courtesy of #7 Crypto Currency (10-1), who ran a big one that day to hold second; we like him a little here and would be even more bullish without the intervening dud he threw in last out, but the price should be right…

RACE 9

3-8-9-12
Bottom-level maidens close the card, and we’ll take a swing with #3 Playland (6-1), who finds her way to the bottom with improving form (on the grass) and shouldn’t mind being back on dirt… Trainer Hugh McMahon scratches half of his uncoupled entry, leaving just #8 Leeds Castle (20-1), who showed speed on debut at Delaware before backing up…